Sophomore quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels described being voted as a team captain by his teammates as if he were a super hero.
“With opportunity comes great responsibility, and that’s how I look at it. There’s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.”
Carta-Samuels is the second sophomore to be a team captain since receiver Ryan McGuffey in 2001.
And he appears ready to take on that responsibility, as he did during much of his true freshman season in 2009 where he was named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and Outstanding Offensive Player in UW’s 35-28 double-overtime victory over Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl.
“I voted for him and he definitely fits all the criteria. He’s the kind of player you want leading your team,” said senior receiver David Leonard, who also was voted a captain along with junior linebacker Brian Hendricks and senior safety Chris Prosinski.
Prosinski, who is from Buffalo, is the eighth in-state player to be voted as a team captain since 2000. The others include:
- Mark Sheller, Torrington, 2000
- Ryan McGuffey, Riverton, 2001, 2002
- Jon Aimone, Mountain View, 2002
- Casey Bramlet, Wheatland, 2002, 2003
- Corey Bramlet, Wheatland, 2004, 2005
- John Wendling, Rock Springs, 2006
- Wade Betschart, Torrington, 2007
The 2010 captains all make a lot of sense, both in what they’ve done on the field and are expected to do this season, and even for what they do off it.
“Seems like we do the right things on and off the field and just coming in and working hard every day,” Prosinski said. “There might be a change in being vocal, but overall I’m not going to change much of what I do or who I am.”
For more on this story, and a look at sophomore offensive tackle Josh Leonard, see Friday’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Laramie Boomerang. Join me for a live blog/chat during Saturday’s spring game. Things will start around 1:45 p.m. Here’s the link: http://wyomingcowboysblog.com/2010/04/14/cowboys-spring-game-live-blog/
